I think Hascup's Flames summary is pretty fair. I agree that Wideman's defensive zone coverage leaves something to be desired, and I think Russell's shot-blocking will have to continue in order for that pairing to have success again this year.
It'd be a nice luxury, for example, to play a Wideman in a #5 role, but in a #1/2 on the powerplay. This would allow the team to focus on his offensive abilities, while also replacing some lost minutes from being demoted out of the top 4.
Nevertheless, while our bottom depth may lack somewhat, it's still a pretty decent bottom three. And throw the young emerging guys (and AHL depth) into the mix, and there's a healthy competition that should keep guys honest if their game drops-off.
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